First published 2020

115 pages

Poetry, Reflective

When I picked this poetry collection up, I wasn't sure what I would find. I remembered enjoying Billy Collins in high school but never pursued any of his work further. I realized as I read poem after poem, that I could not stop smiling. There was something deeply comforting in his ability to juggle both playfulness and sincerity. Although they are not mutually exclusive, by any means. There is whimsy and sly smiles in these poems. I took notes as I read, writing down the title and page number of each poem I loved. Very soon I realized that I was making note of nearly all of them. Which defeats the purpose of making notes in the first place. So, I did away with my notes and just enjoyed the poetry for what it was.

This review is not overly complicated, similar to this poetry collection. Collins's skill shines through in Whale Day. Hopefully, you'll find yourself smiling as you read them too.